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La Mirada vs Santee

93 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (10.4× in Santee) and growth since 2010 (+13.5 pts in Santee).

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La Mirada, CAKnown for its schoolsCalifornia · 47,180 people
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Santee, CAAn outdoors townCalifornia · 59,332 people
Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $480 more a month in La Mirada

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

La Mirada$5,090/mo
Typical home $879K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.66% · or rent about $2,217/mo · Housing →
Santee$4,610/mo
Typical home $796K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.67% · or rent about $2,250/mo · Housing →

The difference: $480 a month, about $5,800 a year, between La Mirada and Santee.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Santee places higher on 12 of 22 CA lists

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every California ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
La MiradaSantee
Snow a year0″0″
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)91st86th
Outdoors & history
La MiradaSantee
Trails6 mi65 mi
Conserved land6.7%10.7%
Settled—1877
National Register places11
Archive photos41
Famous people born here322
Community
La MiradaSantee
Library hours a week40 hrs45 hrs
Colleges in town11
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

93 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

La Mirada ↔ Santee93 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

La MiradaSantee
People
Population 47,180Lowest 59,332Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -1.1%Lowest CA: +6.1% +12.4%Highest CA: +6.1%
Median age 42.9±1.3Highest 13% above CA 40.3±1Lowest 6% above CA
Kids under 18 18.9%±1.6Lowest CA: 22% 23.1%±1.6Highest CA: 22%
Age 65+ 21.1%±1.5Highest CA: 15.7% 16.5%±1.2Lowest CA: 15.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 40.9%Highest CA: 37.1% 35%Lowest CA: 37.1%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 11.4%±1Highest CA: 7.6% 6.9%±0.9Lowest CA: 7.6%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $109,288±$7kLowest 10% above CA $113,394±$6kHighest 14% above CA
Santee and La Mirada are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $825,900±$13kHighest 12% above CA $727,200±$20kLowest about the CA average
Rentmedian gross, monthly $2,217±$225Lowest 9% above CA $2,250±$84Highest 11% above CA
Santee and La Mirada are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $5,422Highest 6% above CA $4,840Lowest 6% below CA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 59.7%±11.3Lowest CA: 55.3% 64.7%±4.8Highest CA: 55.3%
Santee and La Mirada are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 6.2%Lowest CA: 12% 7.9%Highest CA: 12%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.1%Highest CA: 55.9% 72.4%Lowest CA: 55.9%
Typical home builtmedian year 1960Lowest 16 yrs older than CA 1979Highest 3 yrs newer than CA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 32 minHighest 11% above CA 27 minLowest 7% below CA
Work from home 14%±2.1Lowest CA: 17.2% 17.3%±1.5Highest CA: 17.2%
Santee and La Mirada are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 5.2%Lowest 7.9%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 11.8 miHighest 11.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.92Highest 0.63Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Los Angeles (14%)San Diego (47%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in SanteeFew work in La Mirada
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 6.7%Lowest 10.7%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 6.2 miLowest 64.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.8 miLowest 3.9 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 9Lowest 13Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 128Highest 73.9Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #66 of 574 in CA#119 of 574 in CA
School district Norwalk-La Mirada UnifiedGrossmont Union High · Santee
High school in town La Mirada HighWest Hills High
Students per teacherat that high school 23.6Highest 23.4Lowest
California average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

La Mirada neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to La Mirada’s Town Square.

Santee neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Santee’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside La Mirada and Santee

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Bordering La Mirada

Towns like La Mirada

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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